When I see you again
by HazelRQ
Summary: This is how I pictured Chaol and Celaena/Aelin's reunion in QOS. There's lots of romance, because I love these two together! "Celaena". His voice sounded foreign to his own ears. He wanted to run to her, to crush her against him, to never let go… but his legs suddenly felt weak at the thought of holding her in his arms again. What if she wanted nothing to do with him?


**I was really not satisfied by the scene where Chaol and Celaena meet in QOS. So here is the way I picture them seeing each other for the first time.**

Chaol rubbed his stubble-covered chin. Sometimes it felt like years instead of months since Celaena Sardothien had left the continent, had left him behind.

She had promised to come back for him. And since the news of her spectacular victory across the ocean against the king's army, he'd been expecting to see her any day. That was one of the reasons why he found himself all too often at the docks, even though it wasn't safe for him anymore. It wasn't safe for any of them. But he needed to know if Celaena was coming home.

He dragged his feet through the tunnels where the rebels had their secret base, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. Every day more rebels got captured, and every day he was powerless to save most of them. And he hadn't yet figured out a plan to save Dorian.

The sentries nodded at him, moving aside as he headed towards the makeshift council room, where they had brought in a few chairs. He needed to go over the plans for tomorrow, to try to figure out who he could try to save, and who was doomed.

Just the thought of it made his bones ache with weariness. He sighed as he strode into the largest underground room.

"Well, well," drawled a voice he would have recognized anywhere. "The captain of the guard finally returns."

His heart stopped in his chest for several seconds, forgetting to breathe as he took in Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan's Assassin, and the girl he had loved. She was wearing a dark hood, that she pushed back when he looked at her, revealing her golden hair and beautiful face. She grinned at him. Only her gold-rimmed eyes betrayed the nervousness that came from seeing her former lover.

"Celaena". His voice sounded foreign to his own ears. He wanted to run to her, to crush her against him, to never let go… but his legs suddenly felt weak at the thought of holding her in his arms again. And what if she wanted nothing to do with him?

Thankfully, she solved that dilemma when she jumped to her feet, her eyes shining. "Chaol…" She sprinted across the room, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing him with all her strength. "Oh, Chaol."

It was muscle memory that allowed him to hug her back. He was still too stunned to react. With his spies on the dock, he had expecting to hear word of her arrival, to have time to prepare. But of course she had been too sly for them.

She pulled back slightly, using her hands to cup his cheeks. "Chaol, my Chaol." She whispered, staring into his eyes.

He was suddenly horribly conscious of his disheveled appearance. He needed a shave, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

"You're back." He said, reaching with his hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her face. His tired eyes lit up with wonder, his voice raw. "You're truly back."

"I am." She said, her voice slightly shaky. "If you still want me."

Neither one of them had forgotten how badly things had been burned between them. But she felt like a new person, and she had forgiven him for Nehemia's death. She had come to tell him that.

Chaol leaned his forehead against hers, staring into her gold-rimmed eyes. "I'll always want you."

Her breath caught in her chest, and she didn't trust herself to speak.

They stayed like that for a long time, taking the other in, getting used to a presence that had become foreign. When the guards came in for a meeting, Chaol sent them away. He couldn't think about anything but her. He wouldn't leave her out of his sight.

"Do you want to tell me about what happened on your trip?" He raised his eyebrows, shooting her a look that told her exactly what he thought about her little stunt as a fire-breathing queen. "Come, sit."

He led her back to the chairs, but instead of sitting across from him, she waited for him to go first, then plopped down onto his lap, straddling him.

His blood began to boil in his veins. Her face was inches from his, and he could feel the heat emanating from her body.

Celaena scanned his face. "You look tired." She told him.

He looked away. If he kept looking at her face, at those rose-dew lips of hers, he was going to kiss her. Or worse. His body was reacting to her presence, and from the smug look on her face, she could tell.

He could have died from embarrassment.

"Well, a lot happened when you were gone. The king has become nearly unstoppable. He's captured Dorian and put him in a cell."

Anger flashed through her beautiful eyes, her mouth setting in a hard line. "Then we have to free him." She began to stand.

Chaol grabbed her by the arm to stop her from getting up. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise at his boldness "We will, I promise. I have guards watching him day and night. But I'm not ready to let go of you yet."

Her mouth quirked in amusement. She ran her hand over his cheek, her fingers slipping down to his neck. A line of fire burned through his skin where she touched him.

"I don't remember you being this outspoken. A lot of things have changed."

"A lot of things have," he agreed. His eyes flickered to her lips. "And a lot of things haven't."

A full out grin spread across her face, and she leaned in close enough that he could feel her breath on his lips, even though her mouth was a few inches from his. Her eyes were half-lidded. "Yeah?" She purred, her hand slipping under the hem of his shirt, connecting with his rock-hard abdominals. She felt him tense. "Like what?"

"Like this."He said, unable to stand the distance anymore. With a low growl, he crushed his lips against hers. Her mouth opened instantly, and the rest of the world faded to mere shadows as he kissed her with all he had.

She pulled his shirt over his head, running her hands all over his chest. He broke away from the kiss, panting, glancing at the door.

"Not here."

"Chaol Westfall, I've waited three months for this." She growled, lifting her own shirt over her head. "I'm not waiting one minute more. Besides," it was difficult to form a coherent thought as he nibbled on her ear, "the guards won't let anyone in."

"If they do, I'll cut their heads off." He promised, his caresses sending delicious thrills up her spine.

And then she captured his mouth in hers again, making it impossible for him to talk, to think, to do anything but kiss her.

A while later, they were lying on the dirt floor. Her head was on his chest, using his arm as a pillow. He had spread his jacket over her.

Her breath was slow and even, a sign that she had fallen asleep. Smiling, he stroked her silky hair. Even though he had been exhausted, there was no way he could fall asleep now. Not when the girl of his dreams was back in his arms.

He had waited so long for her to come back, not knowing if they would meet again, and if she would still want him if she did. He had also struggled to come to terms with her real identity. How could they have a future together if she was queen of Terrassen?

She sighed in her sleep, and he held her tighter, brought back to the present. None of that mattered. They could deal with the future together, tomorrow. As long as his future held her in it, he would take it, the good in the bad.

Now that she was back by his side, there was nothing they couldn't do. She would rattle the stars. And Chaol, well, he just wanted to be the one holding her hand when she did.


End file.
